Jashore viral video of 'armed' students: Merely performance, not related to militancy, madrasah says

A video from Jashore Jamia Islamia Madrasah has sparked widespread controversy. 

The footage shows a masked man delivering a speech in Arabic, flanked by two individuals with their faces covered in black cloth, standing like “armed guards.” 

Around the stage, several people can be seen listening to the speech. The video has since gone viral on social media, creating concerns among the public.

The incident took place on Tuesday (17 December) at the madrasah during the annual competition and award ceremony for 2024, where students were performing.

Amid criticism, Mufti Lutfur Rahman Faruqi, the madrasah’s founder, addressed the issue during a live session on Facebook last night (18 December).

He explained that the student’s speech emphasised standing against injustice and has no connection to militancy.

“The armed guards’ were merely acting. The weapon-like objects in their hands are made of jute sticks,” he clarified. 

He said, “It is nothing more than a performance.”